"Hilo - The Boy Who Crashed to Earth" is the first in a series of brilliant little comic books from Judd Winnick, published by Picture Puffin.
We're often asked for good 'jumping in' points for younger children when it comes to an introduction to comics, and though there's a lot of choice, picking out really good titles that will prep them for meatier stuff later on isn't always easy (you'll understand what I mean if you've ever strayed down the dodgy path of looking at anything TV or Movie licensed, or some of the wonky stuff for younger readers from the likes of Marvel or DC).
"Hilo - The Boy Who Crashed to Earth" introduces D.J. and his friend Gina, who are totally normal everyday kids just pootling along and minding their own business.
One day they're hanging out in their club house when a mysterious stranger - a boy - literally crashes the party, smashing straight through their clubhouse roof.
They manage to communicate with the stranger, an alien kid called Hilo.
Hilo doesn't know where he came from, or what he's doing on Earth (or why going to school in only your underwear is a bad idea - hey, we've all done it, right?!) but he's starting to think he might not be the only alien to have crash-landed on our planet. Somewhere out there he can find a link to home.
Can the trio unlock the secrets of his past? Can Hilo survive a day at school? And are D.J. and Gina ready to save the world?
It's rip-roaring stuff in a great pocket-sized 'paperback' format. Two more books are also available so if you're ready for more Hilo fun, you can also pick up "Saving the Whole Wide World" and "The Great Big Boom" for a tempestuous trilogy of alien antics.
"Hilo: The Boy who Crashed to Earth" by Judd Winnick is out now, published by Picture Puffin.